The present invention relates to a hair clip.
It relates more particularly to a clip comprising, on the one hand, two jaws each of them having a grasping part and articulated with respect to the other about a spindle between a closed position and an open position of the clip, and returned to the closed position by a helical spring fitted around the said spindle and, on the other hand, a piece for masking the said spring, disposed between the two grasping parts in such a way as to cover the part of the said spring fitted around the said spindle.
It should be noted that without a masking piece, when the hair clip is in position, the grasping parts are separated from one another in such a way that the articulation mechanism of the said jaws, that is to say the spindle and particularly the return spring fitted around the said spindle, is visible, which is unattractive.
From the document EP 0 901 759, there is already known a hair clip such as mentioned above wherein the two end stubs of the spring are mounted in an entirely conventional manner, each bearing against the inside face of the grasping part of a jaw. The masking piece of such a clip, whether it consists of one or two parts, therefore comprises notches in its lateral edges allowing the passage of the said end stubs of the return spring such that the latter remain visible.
Even though the said end stubs of the return spring are of small size, the fact that they remain visible beyond the masking piece makes the aesthetics of such a clip imperfect.
In comparison with the said prior art, the present invention therefore proposes a new hair clip wherein the design of the masking piece is relatively simple, of small size, and makes it possible to render the return spring totally invisible such that the external appearance of this clip is improved.
More particularly, according to an essential characteristic of the hair clip according to the invention, the said masking piece comprises two parts juxtaposed along the direction of the said spindle, each of the said parts of the masking piece being integral with the grasping part of one jaw and exhibiting an inside surface, facing the helical spring, each end stub of the said spring bears against the corresponding part of the said masking piece such that the place of motion of the said end stubs of the said spring, during the opening and closing of the said clip, is situated under the said masking piece.
Thus, according the invention, the assembly of the return spring on the said clip is reversed in comparison with the conventional assembly, and the said spring, including its end stubs, is totally concealed under the masking piece such that it is invisible from the outside.
Other non-limitative and advantageous characteristics of the hair clip according to the invention are as follows:
each part of the masking piece exhibits an inside surface, facing the helical spring, against which an end stub of the spring bears;
each part of the masking piece is formed in one piece with a jaw;
each part of the masking piece is added to a jaw;
the masking piece can be designed such that, during the opening of the said clip, each part of the masking piece integral with a jaw becomes hidden under the other jaw. In this case, preferably, each jaw comprises two lugs, pieced with an orifice for the passage of the said spindle, and placed on a same side of the said spring such that the latter is positioned between the two pairs of lugs of the said jaws. For each jaw, on the one hand the lug located furthest towards the outside with respect to the spring can be an integral part of the part of the masking piece associated with the said jaw, and is formed by a lateral protrusion of the latter and, on the other hand, the lug located furthest towards the inside with respect to the spring is formed in one piece with the said jaw and is placed under each part of the masking piece;
the masking piece can be designed such that, during the opening of the said clip, each part of the masking piece integral with a jaw becomes positioned over the outside surface of the other jaw. In this case, at the junction of the grasping part and the grip of each jaw, a longitudinal slot is provided for the passage of the part of the masking piece associated with the other jaw and, perpendicular to each longitudinal slot, a transverse slot is provided in the grip of each jaw for the passage of the end stub of the said spring bearing against the inside surface of the part of the associated masking piece, during the opening of the said clip. According to this embodiment, each jaw comprises, independently from the masking piece, two lugs for the passage of the said spindle, placed on either side of the said spring: according to a variant, it is possible to provide for each jaw to comprise, independently from the masking piece, two lugs for the passage of the said spindle, placed on a same side of the said spring, such that the latter is positioned between the two pairs of lugs of the said jaws;
each part of the masking piece exhibits a substantially curved profile enveloping the spring and the articulation spindle; and
each jaw is formed in one piece by moulding a plastic material.